A River's Journey
by angry-inferno
Summary: Pairings: Sess/OC, S/M, I/K; A young girl is saved by the Inuyasha gang and tags along with them in order to find her lost love, but ends up having many adventures with her new friends.
1. Newfound Friends

Author's Notes: This is my first Inuyasha fic so please bare with me. If you don't think my writing is any good, then don't bother saying anything and keep that opinion to yourself. However, if you're going to give advice and pointers, then please do so. Thank you for reading this fic!  
  
Chapter 1: Newfound Friends  
  
Written by: Angry-inferno  
  
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A loud splash is suddenly heard by a group of young travelers startling them out of their conversation. The travelers, curious about the noise, decide to investigate and ran towards the end of the forest where a lake was situated. There, they see the remains of a water snake youkai on the ground and an injured girl drifting on the surface of the lake.   
  
The girl had long ocean blue hair that reached the middle of her back, which was tied loosely, that seemed to flow along with the current. She was wearing a sea green yukata with water lily designs. Her face was pale and her body was covered with battle wounds.  
  
"Let's bring her to our camp," suggested the miko.   
  
"I'll carry her," says the monk with a serious look on his face, but the twinkle in his eyes said otherwise.  
  
"I don't trust you, hentai!" scoffed the inu hanyou.  
  
"None of us do since you may never know what he might do to a helpless girl in need," says the taijiya, speaking to the other two while the monk sweat dropped.  
  
"That's true," nods the kitsune.  
  
"She's in bad condition so it's best to hurry up and bring her to our camp," declared the worried miko.  
  
"Kirara, can you carry her on your back?" asks the taijiya.  
  
The little neko youkai responds, yes with a simple "mew" and a nod of its cute little head.  
  
Kirara is encircled in a big burst of flames and transforms to her full youkai size. The taijiya and miko carried the girl onto the now, transformed Kirara. As soon as they reached their campsite, the two female members of the group fix up the girl's wounds and give her some water. The girl starts to cough and slowly opens up her startling, silver eyes.  
  
"Who are you? And where am I?" the injured girl asks innocently after she looks around her and finds she isn't near her lake anymore.  
  
"My name's Higurashi Kagome and this is Sango," the now Kagome says.  
  
"You're at our camp. Don't worry, you'll be safe here" Sango reassures.  
  
"Are you the ones who saved me?" asked the girl, as she slowly sits up.  
  
"Yes we are, but we're not the only ones. Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara also helped. They are our friends, but you should stay away from Miroku since he asks very pretty girls to bare his child. Eventually Sango slaps him for saying something like that" says Kagome as she giggles and points to the others as she mentions their names, introducing them. Inuyasha 'feh'ed and Miroku smiled innocently.  
  
"Thank you for the warning. May I call you Kagome-chan and Sango-chan?" asks the girl.  
  
"Of course you can" Kagome and Sango said with a big smile.  
  
"By the way, what's your name?" Sango asks.  
  
"My name is Mizumi Setsuna. It is nice to meet you," she says with a polite smile and a bow of her head. 'They seem really nice.'  
  
"So, may we call you Setsuna-chan?" both asked.  
  
"Of course!" Setsuna replies happily. "How did you find me anyway?"  
  
"We heard a loud splash and went to check it out and when we got there, we found a torn up snake and you, injured and drifting on the water. So we brought you to our camp to heal you up" Kagome explained.   
  
'She must have been through a lot to be in such a condition. I hope she'll be all right. I better check my bag to see if there's anything left for future injuries the group might acquire.'  
  
"I see. So that's how it happened. But is the lake okay?" Setsuna asked, worried about the safety of her friends and home.  
  
"As a matter of fact, it is." Sango replies.  
  
"That's good to know." Setsuna sighs in relief and slightly smiles. "Are you guys going on a journey or something?"  
  
"Yes, we are. We need to find the hanyou, Naraku and destroy him. We all have something against him so we're going to find him together" Sango replies trying to hide her anger, but you can see it through her eyes. 'He'll never get away with taking my little brother from me. Kohaku... I'll save you if it's the last thing I do.'  
  
"Can I come with you guys? I'm looking for someone too and I also want to help you in defeating Naraku," Setsuna says. 'I hope they wouldn't mind if I join them. I really want to find him for sure this time. And I know I will.'  
  
Sango snaps out of her thoughts and responds to Setsuna's question, "We'd be glad to have you accompany us! The more the merrier." And in more of a whisper, "We need more girls anyway." This causes the girls to break into a fit of giggles.  
  
"Thanks a lot."  
  
"We'll tell you all about the group now so you won't feel like a stranger" Kagome says. Kagome and Sango spend the whole day and night telling Setsuna all about the gang: the good and the bad, and the funny.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
The next morning...  
  
"Ohayo-gozaimashita, minna!" Setsuna says as she brings food to everyone.  
  
"Wow, this smells delicious! I'm glad you're coming along with us!" Kagome says as she smiles happily.  
  
"Not bad" Inuyasha mumbles while munching on his food.  
  
"It's the least I could do for troubling all of you," Setsuna says as she smiles a thank you.  
  
"It's not troubling at all. We're all happy you're coming along. Don't worry about it. By the way, how are you feeling now?" Sango asks. Everyone looks at Setsuna with a worried expression, except Inuyasha since he's busy stuffing his mouth with food.  
  
"It's really kind of you all. I'm feeling a lot better now. Arigatou Sango, minna." Setsuna says. "You must be Shippou, the kitsune."  
  
"Yes, I'm Shippou. It's nice to meet you." Shippou says with a smile.  
  
"It's nice to meet you too, Shippou-chan. May I call you that?" Setsuna asks.  
  
"Of course! You seem really nice!" Shippou says as he chomps down on his food.  
  
"I am most of the time but I can be really moody. I rarely am though," Setsuna says with a smile. Miroku gets up and walks towards Setsuna. And then sits down next to her.  
  
"I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Miroku. Will you bare my child?" Miroku asks as he tries to take Setsuna's hands, but gets slapped by her instead.  
  
"I'd appreciate it if you keep your distance from me, since I'm not very interested in having your child even though it may be a joke." Setsuna says with a glare. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say it in such a tone of voice. But I meant it when I said keep your distance from me. Because if you're going to ask that kind of question I suggest you stay away from me before someone gets hurt." Setsuna says with a guilty face but still is serious.  
  
"Then you must be taken. It must be someone who is better looking than I am. Hmmm... Who could it be?" Miroku asks himself, while everyone sweat drops and shakes their heads in exasperation.  
  
"Setsuna, I'm impressed. You can actually defend yourself from Miroku unlike Kagome." Inuyasha says bluntly but forgets the said Kagome is only a few feet away from him.   
  
Kagome gets up and looks down at Inuyasha while glaring at him. Then yelling, "Osuwari! Osuwari! Osuwari!" Inuyasha slams into the ground and gets deeper into the earth every time Kagome yells "osuwari". Soon, there was an Inuyasha-shaped crater.  
  
"Temme..." Inuyasha says as his face falls into the ground again. Setsuna giggles after a major sweat drop.  
  
When everyone is done eating breakfast, they get ready to continue on their journey again. "Let's go guys," says Inuyasha rudely.  
  
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bunch of youkai appears, and calls out, "We want the Shikon no Kakera now!" as they charge for Kagome.  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yells as he pulls out the Tetsusaiga. "Kaze no Kizu!"  
  
All the youkai are destroyed in a matter of seconds. "Wow... That's the Tetsusaiga isn't it? Someone mentioned it to me a long time ago."  
  
"You actually know about this sword?" Inuyasha asked curiously.  
  
"A little." Setsuna responded with a sad expression.  
  
'Where are you? I've wanted to find you for so long. Did you forget me? Well, whether you have or not, I'm not coming to find you anyway. (Somewhere in the Western Lands, a certain someone sneezes.)'  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
Author's Note: That's all for now! Next chapter will be coming out soon for sure! For now, ja ne! 


	2. A Secret Revealed

Author's Notes: Hi, everyone! I'm back with the second chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. This chapter was kind of short but please bare with me until the next few chapters. Please give me suggestions on this chapter as well. Thanks everyone!  
  
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Chapter 2: A Secret Revealed  
  
Written by: Angry-inferno  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
"Are you okay, Setsuna-chan?" Sango asks.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something, that's all. Let's get going."  
  
As the gang travels farther into the forest, Kagome trips over a tree root and falls flat on her stomach.  
  
"Oww... That hurt!"  
  
"Baka, how can you not see that coming?" Inuyasha scolds.  
  
"Osuwari!!!" Kagome screams as Inuyasha smashes right into the ground making a huge crater.  
  
"Kagome, take my hand," Setsuna says with a worried expression.  
  
"Arigatou, Setsuna! Baka Inuyasha!!!"  
  
"Why are you so stupid, Inuyasha? Couldn't you guess what Kagome was going to do?" Shippou says with a smirk on his face. "Nevermind. You don't have the brains to answer the question."  
  
"Temme! I'll give you a piece of my mind!"  
  
"Wah!!! Kagome, he's trying to kill me!" Shippou cries.  
  
"Inuyasha, osuwari!" she yells with an annoyed expression. Everyone continues walking, leaving the hanyou flat on the ground while giggling about how stupid he is.  
  
"Temme!!! Wait for me!" he yells angrily from the bottom of the crater that was formed by the impact.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
When they reached the other end of the forest, they sensed a powerful youki.  
  
"What is this youki?" Kagome asks with a scared look on her face. "It's creeping me out."  
  
"Minna, stay on guard." Inuyasha says as he draws his Tetsusaiga. From the darkness of the forest behind them, appeared a bear youkai.  
  
"Mitte! It has three shikon shards. Be careful everyone!"  
  
Inuyasha gets into an offensive stance holding his Tetsusaiga, Kagome grabs her bow and arrows, Miroku gets his Kazaana and wards ready, Sango steadies herself with the Hiraikotsu, Shippou hides behind Kagome's leg, Kirara growls as she transforms into her larger form, and Setsuna pulls back her left sleeve, revealing a blue gemed glove with a water dragon decorating the wrist.  
  
Inuyasha charges at the enemy. At the last second he jumps into the air, bringing Tetsusaiga down intending to cut the offending youkai in half, however the fang gets caught by it's paws. "Nani?!?!?" Instead, the bear youkai throws him into a tree about twenty feet away. The tree ends up falling over.  
  
"Inuyasha! NO!!!!!!" Kagome yells, tears flowing out of her eyes while shooting a purified arrow at the huge beast. It missed and hit a tree.  
  
"Dammit!" he yells. Kagome runs to his side as always and helps him up.  
  
Sango's Hiraikotsu hits the bear behind its head knocking the bear face first into the ground. Miroku throws a ward onto its head and paralyzes the creature. Setsuna's glove jewel glows and a ball of magical water appears in her left palm. She sends it crashing into the bear making it growl loudly in agony. Inuyasha is up once again and with a Kaze no Kizu, the bear youkai disintegrated, leaving behind three glowing shikon shards. Kagome picks up the three shikon shards, which immediately purifies by her touch.  
  
"How did you do that?" Shippou asks curiously.  
  
"I used magic," Setsuna explained. "I, however only use water magic."  
  
"Now we don't gotta look for water!" Inuyasha excitedly exclaims. Miroku clobbers him over the head with his staff. "Temme!!! Whatcha do that for?!?!"  
  
"It's for your own good, Inuyasha." Miroku scratches his head. "However, I did hit his head. Maybe I made it worse."  
  
"Can it GET any worse?" Shippou questioned. Everyone laughs at the Inuyasha joke.  
  
The group continues the journey leaving a fuming hanyou behind, again.   
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
It gets dark and the group decides to set up camp.  
  
They've reached the foot of a mountain and were about a mile away from the actual mountain.  
  
"I need a bath after all this traveling and fighting," Kagome whined.  
  
"We found a hot spring nearby," Miroku stated. "Should I accompany you there?"  
  
"It's really okay, Houshi-sama. Shall we girls get going?"  
  
"Then let's get moving already," Setsuna suggested eagerly.  
  
Kagome grabs several towels from her gigantic yellow backpack. The girls go on ahead.  
  
"I'll gather the firewood," Miroku said with a generous smile. "And oh my. We go the same way!"  
  
CLANG! Miroku is on the ground twitching with a huge lump on his head courtesy of Inuyasha's fist.  
  
"Oh my...such...pretty...stars..."  
  
"No, I'LL get the firewood, you perverted monk," Inuyasha turned to leave but stopped halfway. "Shippou stand guard."  
  
"Ok."  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
Meanwhile, the girls were having a relaxing bath.  
  
"This feels so good!"  
  
"You seem pretty happy, Kagome-chan,"Sango said with a smile.  
  
"Of course I am! Setsuna-chan, doesn't this feel great?"  
  
"Yep, I'm feeling really relaxed. I haven't been in a hot spring for such a long time."  
  
"I just love hot springs!" Kagome exclaimed. They all giggled in excitement. Suddenly, they hear something from a nearby bush. The three of them quickly put their clothes on.  
  
"Who is it?" Kagome yelled. A group of bandits came out from all directions and surrounded them.  
  
"We've followed you girls for a while now. We just thought we might give you a little greeting. Let's give it to them, guys." The bandits all smirked. "We'll have some fun tonight. Let's see. Which one will I pick for my wife?"  
  
"What did you just say?" Setsuna was enraged. "I'll give you what you deserve. And you guys don't deserve anything better than a bloody nose."  
  
"So you have a little spunk, heh? Go get them!" The bandits charged at them, one by one. Setsuna beat up each one of them and knocked them all to the ground, but accidentally kicked one of them into the hot spring and was knocked out.  
  
'Oops... I wonder what the guys are going to do about a guy's body in their bath?' As she glares at the bandit group's boss, she asks with a smirk on her face, "Is that all you got?"  
  
"Amazing! How'd you do that?" Kagome asked with much curiosity.  
  
"I've never seen you so angry before." Sango added.  
  
"I'm not usually like this. I guess they just pissed me off way over the top."  
  
"Dammit!!! Let's get out of here. You'll pay for this, lady!" The leader and the bandits said. The bandits left leaving the guy in the hot spring, still knocked out.  
  
"That took care of them" Setsuna said as she sighed.  
  
They heard something in the bushes and heard Inuyasha's voice, "Yo, is everthin ok?"  
  
"Don't come any closer, we're still undressed!!!" Kagome screams.  
  
"Alright, onna no baka. Just hurry up and come back when you're done."  
  
"Why'd you say that, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked confusedly. "We're already dressed." Kagome had that look on her face. "Oh... I understand."  
  
"I knew this was going to happen," Setsuna sighed.  
  
"Let's get back quickly. I'm starved. This is going to be interesting."  
  
"Kagome-chan, do you really think this is going to work?"  
  
"Don't worry, Setsuna-chan." They walked back to the campsite. The guys went ahead to the hot spring while the ladies started cooking.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
Meanwhile as the guys reach the hot spring...  
  
"I can't believe it. Why is there a guy floating in the hot spring?" Miroku asked with a sad face.  
  
"I was looking forward towards having a nice bath." Shippou complained.  
  
"Let's take the guy out first. Maybe, he's still alive." Miroku suggested.  
  
"Whatever." They hurriedly pulled the guy out. His face was all bruised up and was having trouble breathing.  
  
"Poor guy... I wonder how this happened."  
  
"What if he deserved it?"  
  
"I guess you're right, Inuyasha. Let's hurry up and take this bath already. The water seems to be clean."  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
Back at the campsite... The girls are busy preparing dinner and laughing about the joke.  
  
"Do you think it was a bit mean to pull a prank like that, Kagome-chan?" Setsuna sincerely asked.  
  
"Of course not. You have to have some fun sometimes, you know what I mean?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Why is it taking them so long?" Sango asked eagerly.  
  
"They're coming. I can hear them." Setsuna responded.  
  
By the time the guys got back, dinner was ready.  
  
"It smells good!" Miroku says happily.  
  
"It's getting late so hurry up and eat, so we can get a good night's sleep," Kagome said tiredly.  
  
After they ate, it was time for bed.  
  
"Oyasumi-nasai, minna-san," Kagome said and everyone else said it except for Inuyasha who doesn't have manners.  
  
'Oyasumi-nasai...'   
  
Author's Note: Sorry, everyone. This was a short chap but I hope you still enjoyed it. Chapter 3 will be coming out soon. Until then, ja-ne! 


	3. Found At Last

Author's Notes: Here's chapter 3!!!! Hope you enjoy this chap cuz there's more action in it. This chapter is where Sesshoumaru first appears. Enjoy this chapter as well!  
  
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Chapter 3: Found at Last  
  
Written by: Angry-inferno  
  
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Story Note: In this fic, there are youkai villages.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
The next morning, the group is ready to continue the journey towards Naraku, after eating breakfast of course. As they reach the mountain, they plan out what they are going to do.  
  
"Which way should we go?" Kagome asked.  
  
"We can either go west or north since we've been to the south and east before."  
  
"I guess you're right, Miroku."  
  
"I think we should go to the north. I feel like there's something up ahead, over that mountain infront of us," Setsuna said.  
  
"I agree with Setsuna-chan," Kagome said excitedly.  
  
"It would be faster if we use Kirara," Sango suggested. "But, I'm not sure if Kirara wants to."  
  
"Mew, mew." Kirara transforms to his larger form.  
  
"Arigatou, Kirara." Sango gets on Kirara's back with Setsuna and Miroku. While Inuyasha carries Kagome on his back as usual.  
  
"So then let's go already."  
  
As they reach the top of the mountain, they could see a village near the bottom of the other side. Kirara landed and transformed back when they got off her back.  
  
When they met at the foot of the mountain, Kagome said, "I sense a shikon shard. It's coming from the same direction as the village."  
  
"Let's go," Inuyasha suggested.  
  
When they were passing the village, all they saw were youkai.  
  
"So this is a youkai village, huh?" The youkai surrounded them. "What the hell do you assholes want?" The youkai shot some darts at them and they fainted. They were dragged to an underground prison chamber. Their weapons were taken from them.  
  
"Ningens, huh? We haven't had humans like these for a long time. Let's have a feast." The youkai cheered.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
While the Inuyasha gang is imprisoned, Sesshoumaru sends Rin to find food. Jaken accompanies her as usual. Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Jaken are also in the same area as Inuyasha and the gang.  
  
"Which way should we go?" Rin asked curiously.  
  
"Just keep walking forward," Jaken yelled. While he was mumbling to himself, he lost Rin, as usual. "Huh?" He turns around and there is no sign of Rin anywhere. "Why does this always happen?" He calls out her name while going back to Sesshoumaru. Rin sees the village and thinks that there would be food near there. So she runs into the village and sees scary youkai surrounding her. She also gets captured but is put in a different cell than the others.  
  
Sesshoumaru senses Rin is in danger so he searches for her. He runs into Jaken.  
  
"Where is Rin?"  
  
"She wandered off somewhere. I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
What if she went towards the village? I have to hurry up and find her.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
Sesshoumaru heads towards the youkai village. He smells Rin's scent and threatens the youkai in the village to release her.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
Meanwhile... Inuyasha wakes up to chains surrounding his hands and feet.  
  
"Where am I? Kagome!" He finds the others still unconscious on the ground. "They took our weapons too, huh? I guess I have to bring these chains off myself. SANKON TETSOU!!!" The chains break off of everyone. They all wake up from their slumber and also find themselves in a prison cell. "So you guys finally wake up, huh? Yo, someone help me get my Tetsusaiga. I can't break off the chains on my hands."  
  
"I'll do it." Setsuna reveals her glove and uses her magic water to form a rope. She sends the rope out of the cell and it surrounds the Tetsusaiga. It brings the Tetsusaiga to her and she uses it to break the chains off of Inuyasha. "Here you go."  
  
He takes the Tetsusaiga and cuts the chains on the cell door. They are released and they take their things with them. Setsuna spots a little girl in another cell.  
  
"Inuyasha, break the chains on this door now." As she commanded, he broke the chains. She quickly carries the girl on her back.  
  
"Isn't she Rin?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Yeah, she is," Sango, says.  
  
"Anyway, let's get out of here first," Setsuna, suggested. Rin awakes and finds herself carried by an unknown woman. "Don't worry, you're safe now."  
  
When they finally get out of the prison, they all spot Sesshoumaru except for Setsuna since she was looking at Rin.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama!!!!" Rin calls out. As soon as Setsuna heard that name, she immediately looked up. There, in front of her, stood the person she had been looking for all these years.  
  
"Sesshoumaru... Is that really you?" she asked him.  
  
He looks at Setsuna suspiciously.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
Have I seen her somewhere before? She looks very familiar. So does her voice.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
"It's me, Mizumi Setsuna. Don't you remember?" Her eyes are filled with tears.  
  
"Setsuna..." he begins to realize who was in front of him.  
  
The Inuyasha gang is surprised.  
  
"Setsuna, was Sesshoumaru the person you've been looking for?" Kagome asked curiously.  
  
"Yes, he is. We were childhood friends, but he means more to me than that."  
  
A youkai charges at Setsuna. She turns around when she felt someone behind her. "Setsuna! Watch out!" Kagome yelled.  
  
Sesshoumaru realizes what's happening and grabs Setsuna before the youkai reached her. He lands on the ground with Setsuna in his arms. Setsuna opens her eyes and looks up.  
  
"Sesshoumaru... It really is you."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll protect you, like I promised to you back then." Setsuna's eyes widen.  
  
"So you do remember me." Setsuna hugs him with joy. "Let's have some fun." Setsuna floats into the air. A twister of water surrounds her. A beautiful water faerie breaks out of the water. Her hair was loose and it flowed like water. She had fin-like, fish clear wings with a blue green shine. She had on a blue-green gown and shoes. She floated to the ground next to Sesshoumaru with her wings touching the ground.  
  
"You look the same as the old you," Sesshoumaru said less coldly than usual.  
  
"So do you, you haven't aged a bit." Setsuna said with a beautiful smile. She looks at her surprised friends. "Gomen-ne minna. I'm not human. I'm the last of the water faeries. There was a war between water faeries and humans. I was the only one of the water faeries who survived. My parents got killed because they saved me from getting captured by those humans. But while I was running away from them, I was attacked by some crow youkai and I was then saved the second time. The reason I survived the second time was because of Sesshoumaru. And that's besically how we met."  
  
"Oh... So you were alone all this time?" Kagome asked sadly.  
  
"I wasn't alone until the next war started. I was with Sesshoumaru until we were separated by the war between the southern and western lands." Setsuna held on to Sesshoumaru's arm and was relieved that he was with her. Then she remembered something. "We forgot about Rin. She's going to be in danger if she stays here with us while we fight." She walks to Rin. "Stay with Kagome-chan, okay?"  
  
"Okay!"  
  
She goes back to Sesshoumaru. "Shall we get started?"  
  
"Whatever you say." Sesshoumaru says even less coldly then before.  
  
"I summon thee, Mizu no Hiryuu!" As commanded, her pet dragon appeared beside her. "I haven't seen you in such a long time. Would you like to help me?" Setsuna asked kindly. Her pet nodded. "Attack now." Her dragon happily attacked those youkai who opposed her. "Water Typhoon!" A cyclone of water is released from Setsuna's hands as the glove gem glowed. The youkai were destroyed once they got caught in the typhoon.  
  
Sesshoumaru draws out his Toukijin and slashes the ground. A huge burst of evil energy is shot at the youkai. Those who were in that area were disintegrated.  
  
Inuyasha drew out his Tetsusaiga. "Kaze no Kizu!!" Kagome shot one of her arrows. Sango released her Hiraikotsu and Miroku used his Kazaana. More youkai were destroyed until there was none left.  
  
"That took care of them," Setsuna said and transformed back into her human form. "Let's get out of here. I don't like this place at all." They all headed out of the village. They heard an annoying voice behind them. They all turned around and saw Jaken.  
  
"Who's he?" Setsuna asked.  
  
"He's Jaken. He's a servant of mine."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Wait for me, Sesshoumaru-sama!!!" Everyone continued walking and made Jaken run even more to catch up with the group.  
  
They walked until they saw a beautiful lake. "Let's rest here for a while."  
  
"Good idea, Kagome-chan," Sango commented.  
  
Setsuna sat on a rock beside Sesshoumaru. Everyone else sat on the grass near the lake. Rin of course played in the lake.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, do you know Inuyasha and the others?" Setsuna asked with curiosity.  
  
"Inuyasha is my pathetic half brother and I know his friends."  
  
"What? No one ever told me that."  
  
"Who're you callin pathetic? Temme!!!" Inuyasha yelled as he got up.  
  
"Calm down," Setsuna scolded.  
  
"Baka Inuyasha."  
  
"That's enough, Fluffy."  
  
"Fluffy? Who's Fluffy?" Sango asked.  
  
"Fluffy was the nickname I gave to Sesshoumaru because of his fluffy tail. I used to tease him with that name." Sesshoumaru turned away.  
  
"Don't be angry."  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Yes, you are. Anyway, I'm guessing you're all hungry so I'll go look for some food."  
  
"I'll go with you."  
  
"Okay." Setsuna and Sesshoumaru walk off together in the land up ahead.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
"It's been such a long time, hasn't it? I've been alone all these years until I met my friends. I missed you so much," Setsuna said as she shed her tears of loneliness for all those past decades.  
  
"Yes, it has been a long time..."  
  
Sesshoumaru hugged the crying girl. Although he couldn't actually say, "I missed you too," she knew what he meant by it. She tightly hugged him back.  
  
"I almost forgot. We have to find food," Setsuna remembered, wiped her tears away and started walking. Sesshoumaru nodded and followed her. She spots an apple tree and points to it. "There's an apple tree! I'll get some!" She jumps onto a branch and grabs a few of them. She quickly jumps back down. "Let's get you something to eat."  
  
"I'll carry those," Sesshoumaru suggested.   
  
She hands the apples to him and says a cheery, "Arigatou!" Setsuna sees a little house with chickens outside. "I'll be right back." Sesshoumaru nods.  
  
"Excuse me. Is there anyone home?"  
  
"Yes, how may I help you?" An old woman comes out of the house.  
  
"Can I buy one of your chickens? My friend is really hungry."  
  
"It's no problem. Don't worry about money." The woman grabs the biggest one in the flock. "Here you go."  
  
"Arigatou-gouzaimasu!!" She runs off waving goodbye. "Let's go back now." Sesshoumaru nods once more.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
They reach the lake in a few minutes.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama, Setsuna-sama!" Rin calls out and runs towards them.  
  
"We're back," Setsuna says and picks up Rin. "Were you behaving?"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"Good girl." She puts her back down. "I'll start preparing dinner."  
  
"Welcome back! Should I help you, Setsuna-chan?"  
  
"It's okay. I want to make dinner myself this time, if it's okay with you."  
  
"Of course I'm okay with it."  
  
"Arigatou, Kagome-chan."  
  
"I lit the fire for you already."  
  
"Arigatou, Sango-chan!"  
  
"Your welcome."  
  
Setsuna walks towards the fire and starts getting ready to cook. Everyone stared at Setsuna the whole time and couldn't believe how fast she was doing everything. In less than a half an hour, dinner was ready.  
  
"Dinner is ready, minna!"  
  
"Amazing! You made all this in such a short period of time."  
  
"It's been a while since I last cooked a big meal like this."  
  
Everyone was having a great time.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, dinner is ready." Setsuna walks towards him.  
  
"Ah." He gets up from his seat and walks towards Setsuna. When they both got to the fire, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru immediately glared at each other.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, sit here." Sesshoumaru listens to Setsuna and sits besides her. Rin of course sits next to her.  
  
"Let's eat!"  
  
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru continue to glare at each other while eating their food. Inuyasha was stuffing his face with food, but on the other hand, Sesshoumaru of course had manners.  
  
"You eat like a barbarian, Inuyasha. Who taught you your manners?" Sesshoumaru coldly said.  
  
"Temme! I don't have manners?! Do you think you have manners?!" Everyone stares at Inuyasha and cracks up.  
  
"Gomen-ne Inuyasha, but Sesshoumaru is right. You don't have any manners at all." Kagome says truthfully while Shippou and Kirara nodds in agreement.  
  
Inuyasha whacks Shippou on the head for agreeing with Kagome and he starts crying.  
  
"Inuyasha, osuwari, osuwari, osuwari!!!!!!!" Inuyasha slams into the ground and creates a crater again.  
  
"Daijoubu, Shippou-chan?"  
  
"It hurts, but I'm fine."  
  
"Baka." Sesshoumaru says with an annoyed expression.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, give him a break."  
  
"I'm just saying the truth."  
  
"I know but, please fight after dinner."  
  
"Fine." Sesshoumaru continues eating.  
  
"Konoyarou..." Inuyasha says while trying to get up. Rin goes over to him and tugs on his ears and Inuyasha of course gets pissed. As usual, everyone laughs except for Sesshoumaru.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
When everyone finished dinner...  
  
"Should we help?" Kagome and Sango ask.  
  
"Sure, if you want to."  
  
After everything was cleaned up, everyone went to sleep but Sesshoumaru and Setsuna.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, would you consider traveling with us?"  
  
"I don't think I want to stick around Inuyasha. I might get his stupidity."  
  
"If you don't, I'll tell them all the embarrassing things you did when you were younger."  
  
"Are you threatening me?"  
  
"Of course I am. What did you expect?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Arigatou, Fluffy!"  
  
"That is not my name."  
  
"Yes it is!" Setsuna giggled. Sesshoumaru looked away. "Anyway, it's getting late. You should sleep soon."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Setsuna-sama." Rin called out. "I can't sleep."  
  
"All right then. I'm coming." Setsuna walks towards Rin and turns around. "Oyasumi-nasai, Sesshoumaru." She then walks to Rin.  
  
"Ah. Oyasumi-nasai."  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Chapter 4 will be out promptly! 


	4. Spring in Bloom

Author's Notes: This chapter has a few more cute scenes than the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy this chapter as well!  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
Chapter 4: Uncovered Feelings  
  
Written by: Angry-inferno  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
The next morning around 7:00...  
  
Setsuna wakes up and heads towards the nearby lake to wash up. She was half asleep so she didn't notice that there was a log from the camp fire right infront of her. She trips but Sesshoumaru appears and catches her before she fell.  
  
"Huh? Oh, Fluffly!"  
  
"I am not Fluffy."  
  
"Arigatou, Fluffy. I almost forgot that you were an early riser."  
  
"I see that you're clumsy as ever, huh?"  
  
Setsuna blushes. "No, I'm not!" She gets back on her feet. "They're almost going to wake up. I have to prepare breakfast."  
  
"Where do you think you're going, half asleep like that?"  
  
"I'm going to the lake to wash up, so I wouldn't be half asleep."  
  
"Baka."  
  
"Am not!" Setsuna walks towards the lake once again.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
I better go with her. She might trip again.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
They reach the lake in a minute or so.  
  
"Ah, this feels so good! Oops... I forgot my hankerchief."  
  
"Here." Sesshoumaru hands her his hankerchief.  
  
"Arigatou, Fluffy!"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you? My name is not fluffly."  
  
"Yes it is." Setsuna giggles. "Don't get mad. I almost forgot. I have to find some ingredients. Come with me, Fluffy!" Sesshoumaru follows after her.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
During breakfast...  
  
"Minna, I have a suggestion."  
  
"Huh? A suggestion?"  
  
"Hai. I want us to take a break and relax for a few days since this is a nice surrounding. What do you say?"  
  
Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Rin, Shippou, and Kirara nod in agreement.  
  
"I disagree. I want to find Naraku as fast as possible."  
  
"Inuyasha, osuwari." Inuyasha passes out in his new crater. "It doesn't matter if he disagrees. It's only one person."  
  
"Sesshoumaru, how about you?"  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
"Ok, then. Let's have some fun!"  
  
Inuyasha lays on the grass while being bothered by Shippou. He whacks Shippou again resulting in Kagome yelling at him.  
  
"Inuyasha, osuwari!!!!" Kagome and Inuyasha start fighting while Sango, Miroku, and Kirara laugh at them.  
  
Rin is tiring out Jaken since she made him chase her. "Rin, slow down!"  
  
"Jaken-sama, faster! "  
  
After several minutes pass by, the group realizes Setsuna and Sesshoumaru are gone.  
  
"Where's Setsuna and Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asks worriedly.  
  
"I haven't seen them."  
  
"Temme! Sesshoumaru probably did something to her."  
  
"Do you think he kidnapped her or something?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama would never do something like that." Rin said innocently.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't commit such dirty acts like that." Jaken said furiously.  
  
"Let's just look for them." Sango suggested.  
  
"Ah. We should split in groups. Kagome, Rin, and Jaken go with Inuyasha. I'll go with Sango,Shippou and Kirara. Got it?"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Sesshoumaru and Setsuna are up on a tree having a conversation about what has happened in all those years. Just when they finished their conversation about their past, they hear the gang calling out their names. They both jump down from the tree to find out what's going on.  
  
Rin spots Setsuna and Sesshoumaru. "Setsuna-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin runs to Setsuna.  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"Minna thought that Sesshoumaru-sama kidnapped you or something."  
  
The rest of the group run towards them.  
  
"Setsuna-chan!" Kagome and Sango walk to Setsuna to see if she's alright.  
  
"Who thought that Sesshoumaru kidnapped me?"  
  
"We all did. We don't know anything about Sesshoumaru so we assumed he did something." Inuyasha said.  
  
"Actually, it was Inuyasha." Kagome said truthfully.  
  
"Temme!"  
  
"I'm telling the truth, you know?"  
  
"Why would Fluffy do something like that? We were just talking up in that tree." Setsuna points to the tree behing them.  
  
"Baka."  
  
"Temme! I'll tear you apart!"  
  
"Just try."  
  
"Fluffy, They don't know you that well. Just let it go this time."  
  
Sesshoumaru looks away.  
  
"Are you sure about this, Setsuna-chan?" Kagome asked curiously.  
  
"Of course I'm sure. He would never do anything to hurt me in anyway. Right, Fluffy?" Setsuna giggled.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked at Setsuna and walked away.  
  
"That's how he says, 'yeah'. Don't worry okay?" She turns around. "Wait for me Sesshoumaru! Oh, right. Rin, I'll be right back, okay?"  
  
"Okay!"  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
They continue talking, but this time, it's about the present...  
  
"So that's why you're after Naraku."  
  
"Ah."  
  
As they talk even more, Setsuna doesn't realize what's around her at all.  
  
"Setsuna."  
  
"Eh? What?"  
  
"We're in a forest. Look around you. Anything familiar?"  
  
"Ah!!! Bugs!!!!!" Setsuna falls backward almost fainting. Sesshoumaru catches her from behind.  
  
"Baka." Before the bugs attack, Sesshoumaru had already carried her out of the forest.  
  
'She never seems to notice anything else around her when she's doing something.'  
  
Sesshoumaru puts her down on the grass near the lake.  
  
"Gomen-ne, Sesshoumaru."  
  
"Ah. You're still scared of bugs, huh? You didn't change at all."  
  
"Ah, I guess."  
  
He goes over to the lake and rinses his hankerchief. He walks back to Setsuna. "Here."  
  
"Arigatou." She happily takes it. She looks at Sesshoumaru and sees that he's sweating a little. She takes out her own hankerchief and wipes his face. "You could've ran a little slower, you know?" Setsuna smiled.  
  
"Ah." Sesshoumaru looked at her with a surprised expression.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"Souka." Sesshoumaru looked at her less colder than usual even when they got back to the camp.  
  
'Why am I looking at her in such a way? What on earth am I doing?'  
  
Setsuna looks up at him. "Are you sure, it's nothing?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
"If you say so. But you look a little different to me. Anyway, can you help me make lunch?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
Setsuna smiled again. "Arigatou." They walked towards the camp fire and she smiled at him once more.  
  
"Sesshoumaru?"  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"What's wrong? You seem different than before."  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Ah. Are you sick or something?" She touches his forehead. "You seem a bit warm. Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
'Why is my heart beating so fast? Why do I have this weird feeling when I talk to her? This has never happened before.'  
  
"Um... Sesshoumaru?"  
  
"Ah, nani?"  
  
"You're cutting yourself."  
  
Sesshoumaru stared at her. His finger was bleeding.   
  
Setsuna takes out her hankerchief and tears it. She washes his wound and bandages it up. "There, you go. But I still don't get it. How did you cut yourself anyway?"  
  
"I was just thinking about something."  
  
"I see. Just becareful, okay?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
Setsuna puts on a big smile.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
After lunch was served...  
  
"I have an idea! Since you two fight all the time, why don't you eat at different places."  
  
"Sesshoumaru will sit near the lake and Inuyasha will site near the fire. Rin, Jaken and I will stay with Sesshoumaru and the rest of you stay with Inuyasha. Sound good?"  
  
Everyone agreed. "As long as I don't see his annoying face, I'll be fine."  
  
"Sesshoumaru..." Setsuna turns around. "Gomen-ne, Inuyasha. He has his reasons for disliking you this much." Setsuna takes Rins hand. "Let's go."  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"Jaken, hurry up."  
  
"Hai, Setsuna-sama."  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
After lunch...  
  
"Will you teach me how to fish, Setsuna-sama? I can't seem to catch any."  
  
"Eh? Gomen-ne, Rin. I can't eat, catch, or kill fish or any water creature."  
  
"Oh, I forgot. Gomen-ne, Setsuna-sama."  
  
"It's okay. I'm sure Sesshoumaru would love to teach you. Right Fluffy?"  
  
"Huh? Ah."  
  
"Honto ni?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Yay!"  
  
"Rin, watch carefully." Sesshoumaru grabbed a stick and aimed at a nearby fish. The stick went right through.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama, you're so smart!"  
  
Setsuna fainted at the sight of the dead fish. Sesshouamru looked back and saw her on the ground.  
  
"Setsuna. Wake up." She didn't respond. He carried her back to the camp.  
  
"Setsuna-sama fainted!"  
  
"I'll get a blanket." Kagome runs to her backpack and grabs a blanket. Sesshoumaru places her on the blanklet. "How did this happen?"  
  
"She saw a dead fish."  
  
"Huh? Oh, that's right! She's a water faerie."  
  
"We should let her rest," Sango suggested.  
  
"I guess you're right," Kagome agreed.  
  
"I'll stay with Sesshoumaru-sama and Setsuna-sama."  
  
"Rin, go play with Jaken. She needs to rest."  
  
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
When Setsuna woke up, it was already late at night.  
  
"Daijoubu?"  
  
"Sesshoumaru? I'm fine."  
  
"Ano... Gomen-ne."  
  
"Eh? Why are you appologizing? You didn't mean to show me a dead fish."  
  
"I guess."  
  
"Don't worry."  
  
"Ah. Are you hungry?"  
  
"Sort of."  
  
"Here."  
  
"You made it?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Arigatou." Setsuna takes the food and quietly eats it. "It's delicious."  
  
"Are you done?"  
  
"Hai." Sesshoumaru takes the bowl away and washes it.  
  
Setsuna walks to the lake and sits there. "Sesshoumaru, come here." He walks over to the lake. "Sit next to me." He listens and sits next to her. "I'm so happy."  
  
"Eh? Why?"  
  
"Because I finally got to see you gain." Setsuna turned to face him and smiled.  
  
"I am too." Sesshoumaru studdered.  
  
"A shooting star! Make a wish!" She closed her eyes. 'I wish I can be with Sesshoumaru forever.'  
  
'I wish Setsuna and I won't be separated ever again.'  
  
"Did you make your wish?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Good." She looked at the stars. "The stars today are pretty."  
  
"Ah."  
  
A few moments later, Setsuna fell asleep on Sesshoumaru's shoulder.  
  
"Setsuna." Sesshoumaru looked at her and realized she was asleep. Sesshoumaru ended up falling asleep too and his head leaned on hers.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
  
Author's Note: This chapter was kinda sappy. Sorry about that. Stay tuned for Chapter 5! 


End file.
